Timing device for can machines



Sep't.'2 1924.

J. COYLE TIMING,- DEVIGE FOR CAN MACHINES l iled Jan. 14 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 2, 1924. 1,507,107

J. COYLE TIMING DEVICE FOR CAN MACHINES F-iled Jan. 14 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 -J% U/J ,4 J4

Huwwtoz Sept. 2 1924.

- J; COYLE TIMING DEVICE FOR CAN MACHINES Filed Jan; 14, 192] 2 i924. Sept J. COYLE TIMING DEVICE FOR cm: MACHINES.

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 14, 1921 Sept- 2 J. COYLE TIMI NG DEVICE FOR CAN MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jan. 14; 1921 Sept. 2 19% J. COYLE TIMING mavxcs FOR cm MACHINES Filed Jah- 14 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet v lmwntoa:

- dzwm s Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

- UNITED STATES PATENT O'FFICE.,

JOHN COYLE, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL CAN COI- I'ANY, INC., OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

TIMING DEVICE FOR CAN MACHINES.

Application filed January 14, 1921. Serial No. 437,214.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN CoYLE, a citizen of the United States, residin at the city of Baltimore, in the State of aryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Timing Devices for Can Machines,. of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in'timing devices for receiving cans fed promiscuously thereto and for delivering the cans at predetermined timed intervals,-to a machine operating thereon, and more particularly to a timin device adapted to receive filled cans and deliver the same to a closing machine or an assembling mechanism which applies the covers thereto and in return delivers the cans with the applied covers to the closing machine. 4

An object of the invention is to provide a timing device having movable members for feeding and timing the cansand devices associated therewith and engaging the cans at substantially opposite sides thereof for moving the same laterally into the timed position relative to said -movable timing members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a timing device of the above character, wherein the cans are timed by a moving. member having pockets arranged therein at predetermined distances apart and wherein means is associated with said member for closing and opening the pockets, so as to restrain the can from too sudden movement as it is caused to enter the pocket.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a timing device of the above character with yielding means adapted to engage the can at the opposite side from the pocket for yieldingly moving the can laterally into the pocket as it opens.

A further object of the invention is to provide a timing device of the above character with an overflowing pad, and means for operating the same, so as-to cause the pad to move into and out of the can to overflow the same during its bodily travel. These and other objects will in part be obviousand will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the inventl011-r Figure 1 is a plan view showing a timing device embodying my improvements;

Figure 2 1s a vertical sectional view on i through the timing device adjacent one ofthe radial ribs which assists in positively delivering the cans to the rotating assembling means;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the supporting bracket for the controlling arm which permits the feed of the covers;

Figure 8 is' a perspective view of the bracket at the receiving end which carries the support for the gravity controlled fingers;

Figure 9 is' a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 3;

Figure 10 is a sectional view on the line 101O of Figure 3;

Figure 11 is a plan view of'the main housing for the timing device; and

, Figure 12 is a sectionalv view on the line 1212 of Figure 11.-

The invention consists broadly in a timing device for receivin filled cans promiscuously either from a filing machine or any source of supply, and. this timing device for timing the cans is means w 'ch in effect closes and opens the pockets in succession and in proper timing so that 'a filled can when presented to one of the pockets is held from sudden movement into the pocket and is caused to gradually enter the pocket as it opens. Associated with said timing element and the controlling means for retard- 1 ing the entrance of the can into the pocket are yielding devices which engage the can -on the opposite side from the controlling means associated with each pocket and these yielding devices force the can into the pocket 90 feeds the cans forward and at the same time ,moves them laterally and retards or adas it opens, moving the same laterally and slightly advancing or retardin the can as it may be necessary to have it ully entered and centered in the pocket. The means which closes the pocket also operates to positively move the can out of the pocket at a proper time, and devices are associated with the timing device for delivering the cans on to an assembling turret where the cover is applied and the assemblin turret.

delivers the filled cans and applie covers to a closing machine.

Also associated with the timing mechanism is an overflowing mechanism which includes a reciprocating pad which moves in more or lessof an elli tical path so as to travel with the can and move into and out of the mouth of the can during its bodily travel for overflowing the same. This occurs while the can is in the pocket of the timing mechanism. The above mechanism co-operates to receive the cans promiscuously, time the cans and deliver them. to the assembling turret, and permits inspection of the cans while they are being timed; also overflows the can so that each can will contain the exact or desired amount of syrup.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, my improved timing device consists of a rotating table 1, on which the cans are delivered from a rotatingl disk 2, and the rotating disk 2 receives t e cans from the filling machine or other source of supply. The cans are delivered from the rotating table 1 on to an assembling turret 3. 'This assembling turret is of the construction shown in the patent granted to A.'L. Kronquest and John C. Taliaferro, August 3, 1920, No. 1,348,650, and has been shown only in a fra entary way in the drawings.

he turret has a series of half molds or segmental pockets 4 which receive the filled cans and deliver the same to the closin machine.

e rotating table 1 is preferably operated from a connection with the rotating turret and this rotating turret is in turn operated from a connection with the main closing machine, as fully set forth in the patent referred to. On the rotating turret is a beveled gear Wheel 5 and this beveled gear wheel 5 meshes with a beveled gear wheel 6 on a shaft 7 which shaft 7 is journaled in the main housing 8 of the timing device.

Adjacent the inner end of the shaft 7 is-a beveled gear wheel 9 and this beveled gear wheel 9 meshes with a beveled gear wheel 10 which is secured to the table 1 by bolts 1111, see Figure 2. As the shaft 7 rdtates, the table 1 will be rotated thereby.

' Secured to this rotating table is the timing member 12. This timing member is provided with a series of segmental pockets 13 which are curved to conform substantially to the curvature of the cans being timed.

As shown in the drawings, the member 12 is v provided with five se ental pockets. It will be understood t at the number of pockets may be increased or decreased, ac

cording to the size of cans being operated upon. The essential feature resides in the member 12 operating to space the cans a predetermined distance apart. I

One of the particular features of the invention consists in the means for seating the cans in the segmental pockets. It is understood that this machine is particularly adapted for receiving and deliveringfilled cans and the cans are fed on to the rotating table 1 and will be continuously fed in a so curved path about the center ofrotation of said table moving with the table. In order to properly seat the cans in the segmental pockets, they must be moved laterally of their forward path of travel and it is to acs5 complish this lateral movement of the cans without any sudden or jerking movement thereof that the following mechanism is provided:

Said mechanism consists broadly in means for, in effect, closing the pockets tothe eutrance of the can, which means gradually opens the pockets so as to restrain the lateral movement of the can as it enters the pocket and permit it to gradually enter the pocket without any sudden or jerking movement thereof. As a compelling force to move the can laterally, I haveprovided yielding gravity fingers which engage 'the cans in their path of travel and produce a 10 yielding lateral force against the can which will cause it to enter the pocket as it opens.

My preferred means for closing and opening the pockets consists of a rotating member 14 which is shaped similarly to the tim- As shown in the drawings, there are six segmental pockets 15. If the number of pockets in the timing member 12 be increased, then the number of pockets in the rotating member 15 will be likewise increased, so that there is one more pocket in 1 this controlling rotating member 15 than there is in the timing member 12. The member 14 is caused to rotate at differential speed relative to the member 12. On the main shaft 7 is a beveled gear wheel 16 which meshes with a beveled ear wheel 17 connected to a sleeve 18, extending centrally through the member 12. "Rigidly secured to this rotating sleeve is the member-14. The

gear wheels 9 and 16 both rotate, of course,

in timing with the shaft 7, as they are rigidly attached thereto. These gear wheels, however, are of difierent diameters and will, therefore, produce a differential movement in the gear wheels 17 and 10, which are also 7 the. pocket. The table 1 and the timing member 12 move as one and as the canmoves forward this arm 19 moves slower than the arm 21 and thus gradually opens the pocket, so that the can may be caused to enter the pocket when the point is reached, indicated at A, then the two pockets in the members 12 and 14 are substantially inregister, and, therefore, the can may be fully seated in the pocket in the timing member 13. When the can reaches the position indicated at b, then the arm 19 will fall behind theadjacent arm on the member 12 and will positively force the 'can out of the segmental pocket. The member 14 travels slower'than the member 12 and this brings about the timing of the parts, above described.

Associated with the timing device, as above noted, are the gravity fingers. Each of these gravity fingers consists of a can engaging part 22, which is formed with a rounded end 23. The can-engaging part 22 is carried by a body portion 24, which consists of spaced arms 2525, connected by a member 26. The arms 2525 are inclined toward each other and form a curved fulcrumed seat 27, which rests'upon a bar 28, similarly curved at its upper edge. Projecting downwardly from one of the arms 25 is a rod 29, and on this rod is a wei ht 30, which is shown in the drawings as disk shape. The weight is secured in adjusted positions on the arm 29 by means of aset screw 31.

It is understood that there are a series of these can engaging fingers 22 and the inner ends thereof are arranged in a curve concentric with the center of rotation of the table'l. The fingers also extend from the point adjacent where the can is received on the rotating table and terminate at a point where the cans are fully nested-or seated in the segmental parts. These gravity fingers, as above noted, are carried by a su porting rail 28, which, of course, is curve to conform to'the position of the fingers. Said rail is carriedby a bracket 32 adjacent the receiving portion of the timing device and a bracket 33 adjacent the other end of the row of gravity fingers. These two brackets 32 and 33 are bolted to the main housing 8.

There is a cover plate 34 also carried by these brackets 32 and 33, which in part houses the gravity fingers.

The filled cans are delivered, as above noted, from the disk 2 on to the rotating table 1 and curved guiding .rails 35 and 36 are provided for directing the movement of the cans, so that they will be brought into engagement with the gravity fingers and by said gravity fingers forced laterally into contact with the arms between the segmental pockets in the timing member 12 and the controlling member 14. These arms will be slightly spaced when the cans come into contact therewith and by reason of the fact that the controlling member 14 is moving slower than the table and the timing member, the two arms gradually separate and permit the can to move into the segmental pocket 13. The fingers are stationary, so far as the travel of the can isconcerned, so that the can moves along these gravity-fingers, which produces a continuous lateral yielding force against the can which operates to enter the can in the pocket as the pocket opens. It will thus be seen that the can is controlled at both sides, on one side by the controlling arm of the member 14 and the arm between the segmental pockets 13 and at the other side by the gravity fil gers, and this con- Ward movement of the cans and holds the same against the controlling arm of the member 14, and causes the can to move into the pocket.

I have shown the last two gravity fingers as. provided with a guiding rail 37 which yields with the gravity fingers but which serves to hold the can seated in its segmental pocket as it moves along with the table for a brief period of time. It is during this interval, while the can is fully seated in the segmental pocket, that the overflowing of the can is accomplished. As shown in the drawings, I have provided an overflowing pad 38.

This pad is carried by an arm 39 which is secured to a rod 40 extending centrally through a sleeve 41, which is fixed to the housing 8. This rod is raised and lowered and isadjusted during its movements up and down,-'and these movements up and down, together with the, oscillating movements, cause the pad to move in a curved path which is of such a character that the pad enters the open mouth of the can body I and causes an overflow of the syrup in the This cross head at its lower end pivotally mounted upon a rod 46, carried by a sleeve 47, which in turn is mounted on the rod between fixedcollars 48-48 secured to the rod. At the outer end of the rod 46 there is a roller 49, which runs between parallel guides 50-50. As the crank rotates this cross head. willbe moved up and down vertically and Will reciprocate the rod '46. The sleeve 47 is freely connected to the rod and the cross head is guided bythe reciprocating movements of the rod and the guides 50-50. As the cross head 45 goes up and down it will move laterally about the rod 46 as a pivot point. Extending from the rod 40 is a U-shaped arm 51. said arm is clamped to the rod by means of a bolt 52. At the outer end of the members on the U-shaped arm are rollers 53-53, see Figure 9, and theserollers engage the circular web of the cross head 45. As the cross head oscillates at the point of engagement of the rollers 53-53 therewith, the U-shaped arm will be vibrated, and this in turn will oscillate the rod. 40. From the above, therefore, it will be apparent that the crank 42 performs the double function of raising and lowering the pad and causing the pad to travel with the can while in the mouth of the can.

A guide rail 54 is mounted at one end upon a projecting arm 55, attached to the fixed sleeve 41, and at the other end upon a part of the frame of the turret. This guide rail is curved so as to direct the path' of movement of the cans from thepockets of-the timing device into the pockets of the turret and operates in the usual well known manner. There is a guide rail 56 mounted upon the upper end of a vertical shaft 57, which engages the outer faces of the cans and the can bodies pressing againstthis rail 56 will.

swing the shaft 57 a limited distance. The

shaft 57 is mounted in bearing sleeves 58, carried by the bracket 33. At the lower end of thisshaft, there is an arm 59, see Figure '1, which is pivotally connected to a link 60,

' and the link 60 is in turn pivotally connected to a rock arm 61 associated with the assembling turret and operating to release a can end, so that the can ends are only released as a filled can passes this guiding rail 56. This is the well known no can no end controlling means, and may be similar to that shown in'the patent above referred to. A spring-62 is associated with the rock arm 61 and yieldinglv holds the guide rail 56 in contact with the cans.

I may also use, if desired, a series of radial ribs 63. These ribs, as more clearly shown inFigure 5, are mounted in recesses 64, and each rib carries a stem 65, which projects downwardly from a supporting sleeve 66, and the lower end of the stem is rounded, as indicated at 67.

This cam rail is stationary and may be adusted vertically by means of slots 69 through which the bolts pass for securing the cam rail to the housing. At the receiving end of the cam rail there is a cam led e 69'. As the turret rotates these radial ri will be, raised when the rounded end 67 comes into contact with the cam ledge 69'. There is a rib for each segmental pocket, and the ribs are so associated with the pockets as to on age in rear of the cans and positively ho d them in a predetermined position on the rotating table, so that they will be properly delivered into the pockets, in the well known manner.

4 Rigidly secured to the guide rail 54 is a depending arm 70, which carries a roller 71, and this roller 71 insures that the radial ribs will be again seated in the recesses 64 therefor when the rounded ends of the stems carried by the radial ribs pass ofi from the cam ledge and this occurs at just about the time when the can is placed in the segmental pocket in the turret, the cam rail being shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

In the operation of my machine, the filled cans are fed on to the rotating table from a rotating disk, guiding rails operate to direct the movements of the cans. As the cans come into contact with the gravity fingers, they also come into contact with anarm between the segmental pockets in the timing device and an arm in the segmental pockets in the controlling member, and, as the con-- trolling member moves slower than the timing. device, these arms gradually separate, thus opening the pocket for the can toenter and the distance between the ends or the arms and the gravity fingers is less than the diameter of a can, so that the gravity fingers are moved back and thus operate to yieldingly force the can against these arms and also retard the can, so that it will be held against both arms, and, as the arms separate, it will gradually enter the pocket and when fully seated in the pocket, It is timed and will be carried forward for an interval through the rotating of the pocket and the table and at this interval the overflowing pad operates to perform its function,

after which the filled can is gradually and opens.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have a double control on the can, so to speak. In other words, the co- 1 the can from the timing pocket to the turret,

the present structure merely illustrating one way of accomplishing this transfer.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A timing device for filled cans including in combination, a continuously moving timing element having spaced arms forming pockets therebetween, stationary yielding means for forcing the cans laterally in succession into said pockets, and movable means associated with thetimin element for engaging the cans' and gra ually restraining the entrance of the cans into said pockets.

' 2. A timing device including in combination, a rotating timing element having spaced arms forming. therebetween a series of pockets, yielding means associated with said timing element for forcing the cans laterally into said pockets, and rotating means movable about the same center as the timing element and at a different speed relative to said timing element for engaging a can and gradually restraining the entrance of the can into the pocket.

3. A timing device for cans including in combination, a continuously moving timing element having a series of spaced arms forming pockets therebetween, travelling means associated with said timin element and engaging the cans in succession for gradually permitting the entrance thereof into their respective pockets, and yielding means operating upon the cans in succession for laterally moving the cans into the pockets.

4. A timing device for cans including in combination, a continuously moving timing element having spaced arms forming 'a pocket therebetween, means associated with said timing element for engaging a can and gradually permitting its entrance into said pocket, and yielding means for forcing the can laterally into said pocket, said yielding means including a plurality of gravity operated fingers.

5. A timing device for cans including in combination, a continuously moving timing element having spaced arms forming a pocket therebetween, means associated with said timing element for engaging a can and gradually permitting its entrance into said pocket. yielding means for forcing the can laterally into. said pocket. said yielding means including a plurality of pivoted members having rounded fingers for engaging the cans, and an adjustable weight carried by each member for forcing the fingers yieldingly into the path of travel of the cans.

6. A timing device for cans including in combination, a continuously rotating timing element having a plurality of equall spaced fingers forming pockets therebetween, a continuously rotating controlling element associated with said timing element for: en aging the cans in succession and gradua y permitting the entrance-of the cans into the pockets. and yielding means curved to conform to the path of travel of the cans for forcing the cans laterally into said pockets as they move forward.

7. A timing device for cans including in combination, a rotating table, a timing element carried thereby, and having a plurality of equally spaced arms forming pockets therebetween shaped to conform to the curvature of the cans, a controlling element associated with said timing element and moving at a difi'erential speed relative thereto for engaging the cans in succession and gradually permitting their entrance into the respective pockets, and yielding means for forcing the cans laterally into the pockets during their forward travel.

8. A timing device for cans including in combination, a rotating table,'a timing element carried thereby. and having a plurality of equally spaced arms forming pockets therebetween shaped to conform to the curvature of the cans, a controlling element associated with said timing element and moving at a differential speed relative thereto for engaging the cans in succession and gradually permitting their entrance into the respective pockets,- a plurality of yielding gravity fingers for engaging the cans and forcing the same laterally into said pockets, said fingers being mounted so as to move laterally of the path of travel of the can only.

9. A timing device for cans includin in combination, a rotating table, a continuously moving timing element secured to the table and having a series of equally spaced arms with curved pockets therebetween corresponding substantially to the curvature of the can bodies, a similarly shaped controlling element mounted to rotate about the same axis as said timing element and moving at a differential speed relative thereto, said element being so timed as to engage the cans and gradually permit their entrance into the pockets. and yielding means for forcing the can laterally into contact with said rotating element and intothe pockets,

10. A timing device for cans including in combination, a continuously moving timing element having spaced arms forming a pocket therebetween', means associated with said timing element for engaging a can and gradually permitting its entrance into said pocket, yielding means for forcing the can laterally into said pocket, an overflowing pad'and means for supporting and operating said pad, whereby it is caused to enter the mouth of the can during the forward travel thereof and after said can has been seated in the pocket therefor.

11. A timing device for cans including in combination, a rotating timing element having a series of equally spaced arms forming pockets therebetween, a second rotating element similar in shape to the timing element and mounted to rotate about the same axis, means for driving said second element at a differential speed relative to the timing element, whereby the arms on said second element will permit the gradual entrance of the cans into the pockets of the timing element, and yielding means located in the path of travel of the cans for forcing the same laterally into their respective pockets.

12. A timing device for cans including in combination, a rotating timing element having a series of equally spaced arms forming pockets therebetween, a second rotating element similar in shape to the timing element and mounted to rotate about the same axis, means for driving said second element at a differential speed relative to the timing element, whereby the arms on said second element will permit the gradual entrance of the cans into the pockets of the timing element, yielding means located in the path of travel of the cans for forcing the same laterally into their respective pockets, an overflowing pad positioned so as to engage within the can when seated in the pocket, and means for ting said overflowing pa moving said pad up and down and laterally, so that said pad travels with the can while movin into and out of the same.

13. timing device for cans including in combination, a rotating timing element having aplurality of equally spaced segmental pockets, a controlling element associated therewith and similarly shaped to said timing element, means for rotating said controlling element at a differential speed, said element being timed so as to gradually permit the cans to enter the pockets, a rotating table for supporting the cans, and a plurality of pivoted fingers movable laterally of the path of travel of the can only for forcing the cans laterally into said pockets.

14. A timing device for cans including in combination, a rotating timing element having a plurality of equally spaced segmental pockets, a controlling element associated therewith and similarly shaped to said timpivoted fingers movable laterally of the path of travel of the can only for forcing the cans laterally into said pockets, an overflowing pad, means for sup orting and operatd whereby the same moves into and out of the can and with the can during its bodily travel.

15. A timing device for cans including a rotating table, a timing element secured to the table and rotating therewith, said timing element having a series of equally spaced and similarly shaped timing pockets, a similarly shaped controlling element'mounted to rotate about the axis of the table, means for rotating said controlling element at a differential speed relative to the speed of the table, whereby the pockets are opened and closed to permit the entrance of the cans and to eject them from the pockets after they are timed, yielding means for forcing the cans laterally on the rotating table into the pockets, guiding rails. for directing the cans from the pockets, and iding rails for directing the cans from t e source of supply on to the rotating table.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JOHN COYLE. Y 

